Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-11-18

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"Be seated, beg Mistress Blossom"
he said, talking her cold hand in his, and
quietly replacing her in the unoccupied
chair. "Be seated, 1 beg, and give me, if
YOU can, your attention for a moment.
The officer intrusted with the ungracious
task of occupying your fathers house is
member of my military family, and
gentleman. If he has so far forgotten
himself-f he has so far disgraced him
self and me asst
"Nol no!' uttered Thankful, with fe-
verish alacrity, "the gentleman was most
considerable. On the contrary-m ayhap-
I"-she bestated, and then came to u full
stop, with heightened color, as n vivid
recollection of that gcntleman's face, with
the mark of her riding whip lying across
it, rose before her.
II was about to say that Mai. Van
Zandt, as a gentleman, has known how to
fully excuse the natural impulses of a
daughter" continued Washington, with
n look of perfect understanding; "but let
me now satisfy you on another point,
where it would seem we greatly differ
He walked to the door and summoned
his servant, to whom he gave an order
IN another moment the fresh faced young
officer who had at first admitted her re-
appeared with file of official papers. He
glanced slyly at Thankful Blossoms face
with an amused look as if he had already
heard the colloquy between her and his
superior officer, and had appreciated that
which neither of the earnest actors in the
scene had themselves felt-a certain sense
of humor in the situation.
Howbeit, standing before them, Col
Hamilton gravely turned over the file Of
papers. Thankful bit her lips in embar-
rassment. A Slight feeling of awe and n
presentiment of some fast coming shame;
new and strange consciousness of her
self, her surroundings, Of the dignity Of
the two men before her. an uneasy feel
ing of the presence of two ladies who had
in some mysterious way entered the room
from another door, and who seemed to be
intently regarding her from afar with
curiosity as if she were some strange ami
nal, anG wild premonition that her
whole future life and happiness depended
upon the events of the next few moments
girl trembled for moment in her isola
ton and loneliness. In another instant
Col. Hamilton, speaking to his superior,
but looking obviously at one of the ladies
who had entered, handed 4 paper to Wash
ington, and said, "Iiere are the charges. :"
"Read them" said the general coldly.
Col. Hamilton, with manifest con-
sciousness Of anothes hearer than Mistress
Blossom and his general, read the paper.
1t was couched in phrases Of military and
legal precision, and related briefly, that
upon the certain and personal knowledge
Of the writer, Abner Blossom of the
Blossom Farm" was in tho habit of en-
tertaining two gentlemen, namely, the
Count Ferdinand" and the Baron
Pomposo," suspected enemies Of the
cause, and possible traitors to the Cont
mental army. 1t was signed by Allan
Brewster, late captain in the Connecticut
contingent
AS Col Hamilton exhibited the sigma
ture, Thankful Blossom had no difficulty
in recognizing the familiar bad hand and
equally familiar misspelling of her lover
She rose to her feet. With eyes that
showed her present trouble and perplcXity
as frankly as they had a moment before
blaZed with her indignation, she met, one
by one, the glances of the group who now
seemed to be closing round her. Yet with
woman's instinct she felt, am con
strained to say, more unfrlendliness in the
silent presence of the two women than in
the possible outspoken criticism of our
much abused sex.
"Of course" said n voice which Thank
full at once, by u woman's unerring i'm
stlnct, recognized as the elder Of the two
ladies, and the legitimate keeper Of the
conscience Of some one of the men who
were present-"of course Mistress Thauk.
full will be able to elect which of heI
lovers among her country's enemies SHE
will be able to cling to for support in hel